January 1, Biden administration reverses Trump-era abortion rule

On Monday, the Biden administration reversed a Trump-era restriction on abortion referrals by family planning clinics amid rising tensions over related legislation.

The Trump administration banned clinics from referring patients for abortions, which prompted a mass exodus of service providers, mainly consisting of Planned Parenthood affiliates.

“I have heard that almost everywhere in the country people have made the decision that conditions will be good for them to return to the program,” said Clare Coleman, president of the National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association.

Planned Parenthood, the country’s largest service provider, criticized part of the new rule that allows individual medical professionals who object to the procedure not to provide referrals. The White House responded that it’s “in accordance with applicable federal law.”

The new policy will take effect on Nov. 8.

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Biden lifts abortion referral ban on family planning clinics